Cable and DSL Internet require an external modem but no phone service.
Consumers now have several choices when it comes to Internet connections and many more Internet service provider options. Dial-up Internet helped pave the way for faster services, not all of which rely on a phone line.
History
Traditional Internet relied on the user's phone connection to dial the Internet provider. Data traveled between websites and other Internet destinations to the user's home computer via phone lines. The highest speed these connections could achieve at the end of the 1990s was 56 Kb per second.
Types
Although traditional dial-up Internet relies on a phone line, as does DSL Internet, consumers can also choose cable Internet service. This type of service uses the consumer's cable line for Internet service. This line may also provide telephone and television service. DSL and cable Internet are both high-speed Internet solutions.
Considerations
DSL does require a phone line to bring the connection into a customer's home; however, DSL does not require that the customer buy phone service. However, many phone companies provide DSL Internet service along with their phone service. Cable providers may also offer packages including phone, Internet and television service.
Benefits
Users who do not need a phone line may save money by buying only Internet service from their provider. Additionally, services that do not require telephone service are much faster than dial-up Internet connections that do require phone service. For instance, a 6 Mb per second DSL connection is 100 times faster than a 56 Kb per second dial-up connection.
